Encouraging & challenging people to be "rooted", "grounded" and "grow" and so bloom" where they are "planted" in their neighborhood, world and career...using their Passion"," Abilities"," Gifts", "Strengths" and prior "Experiences" God has gifted them with and thereby bringing glory and honor to the LORD. 1st Corinthians 10:31
The Journey of Life: To Be God's people..."Embodying the love of Jesus Christ in the city and the world"
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
"The trail is long, and we won't arrive at our destination in this life. Still, we're on the journey with Jesus for the greatest thrill of our lives." Zig Ziglar
Interested in making a difference or change in the lives of people
in your city...Milwaukee...or any city or town in the country?
What is Neighborhood Transformation?
Neighborhood Transformation is a strategy that helps
churches minister in a wholistic manner to people in urban poor
neighborhoods. It empowers people to take responsibility for their own
lives. It helps neighbors to help their neighbors and moves them from
welfare and relief to empowerment. It focuses on assets found in the
neighborhood, which fosters local ownership instead of being based on
problems that they expect outsiders to fix for them.
My prior blog post showed what non profit organizations are already doing to reduce poverty in Milwaukee and you can join them.
But another option is to start right now...right where you are...and
you don't have to wait for your church to get on board...you can start
alone and or with a friend!
You may already be heavily involved in your own ministry and may not
be able to take on a new ministry...but remember that Neighborhood
Transformation is a template of hundreds of elements that a person does
dependent on what they are already doing in a neighborhood.
Check out the links below to see what small elements you can add to
your current ministry...and then see how combining God's word and His
example of showing love to all people...and then helping them engage in
this ministry can lead to the extension of God's Kingdom! Talk about
multiplication!
Search the list below and pick out your top 3 most fun activities you and another person can do together!
Collaborative for Neighborhood Transformation helps people
in the neighborhood transform their lives and communities from the
inside out, resulting in:
People knowing, loving, caring and serving their neighbors
People taking responsibility and working to change their reality
A reduction in disease, crime, drug abuse, and alcohol addiction
People knowing Christ with healthy, growing churches
Improved employment and living conditions
Hope, health, and enthusiasm toward neighborhood life
Programs for poverty alleviation are good...but "without heart change,
money, healthcare, housing, and education do not meet our world's
deepest needs." "Apart from Christ, we might simply introduce the
problems of prosperity while we solve the problems of poverty. - Peter Greer
"The church should be the most creative entity in the world."
By "Church" I mean the people of God, not the physical building or institution.
You as an individual can use your creativity to bring glory and honor to the LORD!
"The trail is long, and we won't arrive at our destination in this life. Still, we're on the journey with Jesus for the greatest thrill of our lives." Zig Ziglar
So pick your destination right now!
As Paul Borthwick says in his book: How to Be a World-Class Christian: Becoming Part of God's Global Kingdom:
"Through prayer, we can join any team that God is using. We can join in
the efforts of missionaries in the Amazon River valley, in the
ministries of pastors in Sri Lanka, or in the evangelistic effort of
"tentmakers' in North Africa!" P. 73
As we finish our journey and one day stand before the LORD, we will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21
Isn't that what we want to hear? I do
And
just maybe...when the LORD returns and creates a new earth...the LORD
may take us to that region and we will meet the people we were praying
for...and the others who were on our "team" and then see how we did
make a difference in the world and for all eternity!
"The trail is long, and we won't arrive at our destination in this life. Still, we're on the journey with Jesus for the greatest thrill of our lives." Zig Ziglar
As Paul Borthwick says in his book: How to Be a World-Class Christian: Becoming Part of God's Global Kingdom:
"Through prayer, we can join any team that God is using. We can join in
the efforts of missionaries in the Amazon River valley, in the
ministries of pastors in Sri Lanka, or in the evangelistic effort of
"tentmakers' in North Africa!" P. 73
So, look for what God is doing in the world...and become a part of a
"team" that is praying for that country, region and or missionary. You
can become a part of a team, no matter where you live.
Start where you are. Your church missions group, and or other missions or missionaries you already know. Or go to Operation World
A wealth of info on what God is doing in the world.
Another good resource is Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. A prior blog post of mine gives info on this. Perspectives
You don't necessarily have to physically go to a foreign country...But
the LORD has already given us the call to "GO"....first 2 letters of his
name. GOD.
For those of us who are Boomers or Boomers and Beyond and can't
physically travel to another country...your influence can and will
continue no matter where you are.
As we finish our journey and one day stand before the LORD, we will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21
Isn't that what we want to hear? I do
And
just maybe...when the LORD returns and creates a new earth...the LORD
may take us to that region and we will meet the people we were praying
for...and the others who were on our "team" and then see how we did
make a difference in the world and for all eternity!
Happy journey!
You might be wondering What is a World-Class Christian?
"Anthropologists..explain
that at our core is a basic view of reality-a worldview. That worldview
determines who we are, what we value, and how we behave." Gordon
Aeschliman
